1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a multifunctional tray in a vehicle armrest adapted to temporarily receive food and beverage items. More particularly, the present invention relates to a condiment container receiving structure defined in a body of the multifunctional tray for receiving and retaining at least rectangular and circular shaped condiment containers while permitting access to the condiment containers. The present invention finds particular application as a sauce holder for a fold out armrest in a vehicle passenger cabin and will be described with particular reference thereto. It is to be appreciated, however, that the invention may relate to other similar environments and applications.
2. Discussion of the Art
Vehicle cup holders are ubiquitous. There is a wide variety of cup holder types provided in a wide variety of vehicles. Many vehicles also include trays or troughs for storing a wide variety of items in vehicle passenger cabins such as coin currency, glasses, mobile phones, etc. Vehicle consumers continue to desire functional compartments or structures in their vehicles including those that allow the vehicle operator and his/her passengers to more easily consume food and beverage items while in the vehicle.
Heretofore, vehicles have not included a structure that adequately receives and retains condiment containers. U.S. Pat. No. 5,667,119 discloses a fast food and condiment holding apparatus for use in a vehicle that includes a compartment for a package of french fries and a compartment for a rectangular package of ketchup. The rectangular configuration of the ketchup compartment is not suitable for other food/condiment containers that do not have a matching rectangular configuration or accommodating varying sizes of rectangular configured food containers. Further, the ketchup compartment does not permit suitable access to a ketchup package contained therein for removal purposes.
Another patent, U.S. Pat. No. 6,196,434, describes that a container of sauce can be placed in a slidable receptacle adjacent a cup holder. However, the slidable receptacle is circular and, like the '119 ketchup compartment, not suitable for other food/condiment containers that do not have a matching circular configuration or a similar size. Also, the receptacle does not permit adequate access for removal of sauce containers contained therein. Additionally, vehicles of the prior art have not included a suitable structure for holding condiment containers that is molded into a multifunctional tray adapted for use in a vehicle armrest. Thus, there is a need for a multifunctional tray having a condiment container receiving structure that is adapted to receive and retain varying shaped and sized condiment containers while providing removal access to retained condiment containers wherein the tray can be used in a vehicle arm rest.
The present invention provides a new and improved multifunctional tray in a vehicle arm rest adapted to temporarily receive food and beverage items that includes a condiment container receiving structure defined in a tray body that has a generally segmentary shape appropriately sized to selectively receive at least rectangular and circular shaped condiment containers while permitting access to the condiment containers for removal thereof. The present invention overcomes the foregoing difficulties and others while providing the aforementioned advantageous features.